Maybe Not a Goodbye
by DevilJess
Summary: She waited in the darkness for first light or Sasuke’s arrival, whichever came first. She prayed to whoever would listen that Sasuke wouldn’t try to leave the village. It was all she could think about. She prayed he wouldn't go to the Sound.


Sakura stood there, just waiting, her pink hair swaying in the wind. This was a special place to her. She looked around at the path lined with cherry trees, the stone bench that she had sat on to eat lunch the day she was assigned to squad seven. This was always where she had come to cry, but not tonight. She had promised herself that she would not cry tonight.

It was probably just coincidence that the place she had come to love so much, was also the easiest place to sneak out of the village. She knew that if Sasuke wanted to sneak out, as Naruto had promised he would not, this would be the place to leave. She would not let him. Not tonight. Not if she could help it.

So she waited in the darkness for first light or Sasuke's arrival, whichever came first. She prayed to whoever would listen that Sasuke wouldn't try to leave the village. It was all she could think about.

She heard him before she saw him. Sasuke's navy blue hair looked black in the darkness. His onyx eyes glared at her. Sakura's emerald eyes took in everything from his traveling clothes to his backpack. Her heart sank through the ground. So he really was trying to leave, Naruto was wrong.

He stopped a few yards from her. He watched her for a few seconds before opening his mouth to speak.

"Why are you prowling around here in the middle of the night?"

She looked at him for a second. His accusation that she was 'prowling' around anywhere stung her to the core.

"I knew you'd come this way…if you were to leave…" she said, fighting back tears "so I just waited here…"

He eyed her for a second, taking in her sad eyes and defeated posture.

"Get out of here…" he said roughly "and go back to sleep…"

Then he stepped around her, he continued walking like nothing had happened. She stood there, just letting him go. She couldn't say a word. She was a frozen, useless girl. A single tear ran down her cheek.

_No!_ She thought desperately _I promised myself that I would not cry. Why can't I stop myself!_

Sasuke glanced back to see if his wishes were being cared out and saw that they were not. So he did the only thing he knew, he continued. It was her fault if she was not able to improve because she was not sleeping.

"Why won't you say anything to me?" said Sakura in a pained voice, causing Sasuke to stop in his tracks, "Why do you always keep so quiet? Not a single word to me…?"

This infuriated Sasuke. Why was she always chasing him? Why was she so determined to get herself hurt by getting close to him, he was just trying to protect her.

"I told you: I don't need your help," he said, the words came out with more force then he meant them to, "don't try to look after me."

Sakura looked down, tears pouring out of her eyes now. It was always like this. He would say 'I don't need your help'. She fought against the tears, slowing their flow. Memories flashed through her mind, all of them ending with Sasuke stalking away from her, leaving her with a deep wound in her heart. One memory in particular stuck out above the rest. She tried her hand at a weak smile. She looked up at his back.

"No matter what you'll always hate me won't you?" she asked softly "You remember, don't you?"

He waited, stunned.

"When we first became Ginin, the day when our three-man team was first decided…," she said to his back, "the first time we were here by ourselves, you were so mad at me."

"I don't remember that." Sasuke said bluntly. He racked his brains trying to remember, but he couldn't. All he remembered was eating lunch and then being tied up by Naruto…Naruto! That was it! Naruto had taken his form and gone off somewhere.

_That fool! _Sasuke thought, _whatever he told her is making her think that I have always hated her and always will!_

Sakura was startled. He didn't remember. She tried to shake it off. Her tears had completely stopped now and they were drying on her face, turning her face red. She let out a weak laugh, trying to lighten the mood. Sasuke didn't react, but she plunged on.

"Yeah, I guess you right…" she said sadly," that is all in the past, huh?"

Sasuke forced his body not to react but he couldn't stop his face. He was glad that she couldn't see his pained expression. He stopped himself from saying anything. He would give himself away, and then there would be no point in trying to leave tonight. He had to make her believe that he didn't care. If she knew, it would strengthen her resolve. Then she would not be able to let him go. He needed to leave and she needed to stay, it would keep her safe.

_If only you knew how much the past matters to me,_ he thought.

"That's when it all began, though," she continued softly," you, me… along with Naruto and Kakashi-sensei…"

Sasuke's pained expression grew more pronounced at the names of the team members.

_Why!_ He thought _Why do her words have to go right to my heart!_

"We did all sorts of missions, just the four of us." she whispered, "It was painful and difficult at times, even with that though…I still enjoyed it."

They were both swamped with memories of happier days as team seven. Sakura tried to brake through the memories. She had to say this. She had to say it now. She swallowed, and then continued.

"I know all about you past, Sasuke. Even if you get your revenge, it will not bring anyone happiness. Not you, Sasuke, not me."

As Sasuke listened, he regained control of his face. He forced it into a smirk.

"I already know," he said harshly.

Sakura could hear the smirk in his voice. Her tears had already dried but she could feel more welling up behind her green eyes.

"I'm different from you all," he continued, the smirk gone from his voice and face," I cannot be following the same path as you guys. Up until now, we've done everything as a group, but there is something else I must do."

He hoped that she could hear the double meaning in his words. That this was something he had to do on his own and that he would return one day if she left him alone to do his job. He forced himself to go on with a much harder edge to his voice.

"Deep inside my heart, I've already decided on revenge. For that reason only, I live."

This was a complete lie but she had to believe that this was his only purpose to live or she would not let him go. He took a breath to say one of the hardest lies for him to say.

"I'll never be like you or Naruto."

Despite her efforts, the dreaded tears began to roll down her cheeks again. She had to do something. She had to make him stay.

"Do you really want to go back to being alone!" she demanded loudly, grasping at straws," you told me how painful it was to be alone!"

When that didn't get a reaction out of him, she tried again, getting closer and closer to expressing her true feelings.

"Right now I know your pain! I may have friends and family, but…" her voice fading to a whisper," if you were to leave…to me…to me I …I would be just as alone…as you…"

She was sobbing now, unable to control her tears. Her words were coming out in between sobs. Sasuke's eyes filled with a deep pain. He never intended her to shed so many tears over him. She wasn't supposed to know until the morning. He tried to finalize things, push her to the back of his mind.

"From here on out we all begin new paths…" he whispered.

She could not stop herself.

"I love you with all my heart!" she cried, "My heart is yours!"

Sasuke whipped around, something he had been avoiding doing. There was pure anger in his eyes. He heard the truth ring behind every word as she pledged her heart to him. It was something he couldn't take. He wanted to. He wanted to give her his heart in return, but he could not. He would not.

"I can't-" he began with a hiss but Sakura interrupted something she had never done before.

"Take it!" she cried, "It's yours. It always will be!

He opened his mouth to stop her from pledging herself further but his voice died in his throat. Tears coated her face, making it shine and turning her cheeks pink. He never intended to cause her so many tears. She carried on in a whisper.

"If you can't stay here with me then take me with you."

"Sakura…" he didn't know what to say.

"Please…" she begged, falling to her knees, "don't leave me hear alone…"

"I cant…" he was still wordless.

She stood up, stumbling towards him.

"If you leave me alone I'll scream," she threatened with a sob, "and I won't stop until you return."

Sasuke disappeared, reappearing behind Sakura. He stood there for a moment, she did not move. Tears poured down her face.

"Sakura…" he whispered, his heart filled with gratitude for her love, "Thank you."

Then he tapped the pressure point on the back of her neck, channeling his chakra through it. She intently fell asleep. He caught her before she could hit the stones beneath them. He turned her body so that her face was visible. He held her bridal style and kissed the top of her head.

"Let's go." he whispered into her hair.

Then he began to run towards the edge of the village with Sakura in his arms. He was running late and he did not want to keep the sound ninja waiting. They would just have to deal with one extra person.

**please review if you liked it... or if you hate it... or if you don't care.**


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